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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE 
APPOINTED UNDER ACT OF 
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
APPROVED MARCH 12, 1912, 
FOR THE PURPOSE OF RE- 
INTERRING THE REMAINS OF 
GENERAL HENRY LEE— 
"LIGHT-HORSE HARRY' LEE- 
AT LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 




Ttrtt, mCHMONO. 






^- Of D. 



WHY GENERAL LEE WAS 
BURIED AT "DUNGENESS" 



^Thc above question is frequently asked, and it may not be 
amiss to briefly state the eireumstances. 

^General Henry Lee was a eonservative Federalist, but could 
not follow his party in its violent opposition to the war of 
t8i2, and had been commissioned a major general fe^r that 
war. While in Baltimore in the summer of 1812 he called 
upon his friend, Mr. Henson, who was the editor of a Federalist 
paper. Before lea\ing his house it was attacked by an angry 
mob for the purpose of destroying the printing press and 
establishment. General Lee bravely came to the rescue of 
his friend, and in the fierce struggle that followed some were 
killed and he received wounds which prevented his entering the 
war, and from which he never recovered. In the svmimer of 
]8i3, hoping that a mild climate might pro\e beneficial, he 
sailed for the West Indies, where he remained without mucli 
improvement until January, 1818, when he sailed for home 
from Nassau on a New England schooner. Becoming very 
much worse on the trip he requested the captain to direct his 
course to Cumberland Island where he knew he would receive 
every comfort and attention at "Dungeness", the home of Mrs. 
James Shaw, daughter of his old commander and trusted 
friend. General Nathaniel Greene. There he remained in 
intense sufl:"ering. but soothed by tender hands until he entered 
into rest, March JS, 1818. 




> 



< D 



-J -2 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE 

To the General Assembly of Virginia: 

By an act of the General Assembly of Virginia approved in 
the year 1861, a sum of money was appropriated for the pur- 
pose of bringing- the remains of General Henry Lee, known 
and honored by his countrymen as "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, 
of Lee's Legion, from the State of Georgia, at "Dungeness" on 
Cumberland Island, back to the State of Virginia. Owing to 
the war between the States, the purposes of this act were 
never accomplished. 

On the I2th day of March, 1912, another act was approved 
by the General Assembly of Virginia appropriating the sum of 
five hundred dollars for the same purpose ; and requiring that 
the remains of General Lee be reinterred in the mausoleum 
under the Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee University, in 
the town of Lexington, and county of Rockbridge, Virginia, or 
in such other place as the Lee family might desire. Pursuant to 
the above act, a committee consisting of two members from the 
House of Delegates and one from the Senate was appointed 
to carry out and execute the purpose of the Assembly as set 
forth in its act. This committee consisted of Hugh A. White 
and John O. Daniel, of the House, and J. R. Tucker, of the 
Senate. 

The Honorable J. R. Tucker, of Bedford county, having 
been unavoidably prevented from acting, the Honorable J. M. 
Hart, of Roanoke city, was duly appointed in his stead. This 
committee now has the honor to report the performance of 
its duties. 

After considerable correspondence, the committee obtained 
the views of the senior members of every branch of the Lee 
family, descendants of General Henry Lee. All desired that 
the remains be reinterred beneath the Lee Chapel at Wash- 
ington and Lee University in Lexington, where lies the body 
of his distinguished son, General Robert E. Lee. Very 



naturally there was opposition on the part of the patriotic 
societies and people of the State of (leorgia to the removal of 
the remains from that State, but no formal action was taken, 
and the opposition yielded gracefully to the wishes of the 
State of Virginia and the descendants of General T.ee. 




General Henry Lee 
(Light-Horse Harry) 

The committee left Virginia on the 26th day of May, 1913, 
going direct to Fernandina. Florida, from whence on the 28th 
they proceeded b>' boat to "Dungeness", on Cumberland 
Island. The island is about six or eight miles out from 
Fernandina. and the gra\eyard at "Dungeness" in which 
General Lee was buried is located at the extreme southern 



end of the island. The committee here desires to record the 
great courtesy shown to it and to the State of Virginia by 
Mrs. Lucy C. Carnegie, who now owns Cumberland Island, 
and by her manager, Mr. W. E. Page, as well as by all others 
connected with her magnificent estate. While deeply regret- 
ting that beautiful "Dungeness" could not remain the last rest- 
ing place of the famous "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, Mrs. 
Carnegie not only recognized and fully appreciated the 
patriotic desire of Virginia, but extended every courtesy and 




G.'^>AVE OF General Henry Lee 
Dungeness, Cumberland Island, Ga. 

consideration possible. Though she was absent from the 
island at the time, she had left instructions that every con- 
sideration be shown and service rendered. On the morning 
of May 28th, her yacht, "The Skibo", under command of 
Captain G. H. Yates, to whom the committee makes its 
acknowledgments for his kindness and courtesy, met the com- 
mittee at Fernandina, and conveyed them across the sound to 
the island. There they were met by Mr. Page and others, 



and carried in automobiles to the old graveyard. The patriotic 
sentiments of the owner of "Dungeness" and those in charge 
in her absence were beautifully expressed by the draping of 
the brick walls of the graveyard in American flags. The 
dignified respect and fine sentiment shown for a great Vir- 
ginian touched the hearts of Virginians. Mrs. Carnegie had 
taken scrupulous care of the grave and graveyard, and the 
people of Virginia are under lasting obligations to her for the 
devotion which she has shown to Virginia's illustrious dead. 

The grave-stones stood erect, and on the head-stone was 
the following: 

"Sacred to the Memory of General Henry Lee of 
Virginia. 
Obiit, March 25, 1818 
Aetat, 6t,." 

This stone was erected a good many years after his burial 
by his son, General Robert E. Lee, or under his direction by 
Mr. P. M. Nightingale, a grandson of General Nathaniel 
Green, who was present at the burial of General Lee. The 
grave must have been accurately marked at the time of burial, 
since the stones erected later were found to be in identically 
the proper place, the head and foot stones corresponding 
exactly with the head and feet of the remains. At the request 
of Mrs. Carnegie the original stones were permitted to remain, 
as she desired to have them re-erected at the same spot. For 
the sake of historical accuracy, it was understood that she 
would have carved on the headstone a statement that the re- 
mains of General Lee had been removd to the State of Virginia 
in May, 1913, and presumably this has been done. 

A more beautiful spot cannot be imagined than this old 
graveyard at "Dungeness". The remains of the great sol- 
dier and statesman lay amid the perfume of the oleander and 
the jessamine in the deep shade of the magnolias, the myrtles 
and the olives, while the long gray moss from the live oaks 
waved in majestic grace with every breeze, and the sobbing 
of the sea sang an eternal requiem over his grave. Nothing 



save the patriotic devotion of a loyal people could justify the 
intrusion upon so peaceful a resting place. With profound 
feeling and respect by all, the grave wa.s opened in the pres- 
ence of the committee, and the remains, found in a most 
remarkable state of preservation, were removed, placed in a 




General Robert Edward Lee 

new casket, draped in a United States flag, and conveyed to 
the yacht, and thence back to Fernandina. 

The remains reached Lynchburg, Virginia, on Memorial 
Day, May 30th, and were there met by representatives of the 
Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial 
Dames, and other patriotic societies, and a guard of honor 



and carried in automobiles to the old graveyard. The patriotic 
sentiments of the owner of "Dungeness" and those in cliarge 
in her absence were beautifully expressed by the draping of 
the brick walls of the graveyard in American flags. The 
dignified respect and fine sentiment shown for a great Vir- 
ginian touched the hearts of X'irginians. Mrs. Carnegie had 
taken scrupulous care of the grave and graveyard, anil the 
people of \'irginia are under lasting obligations to her lor the 
devotion which she has shown to \'irginia's illustrious dead. 

The grave-stones stood erect, and on llie head-stone was 
the following: 

"Sacred to the MeinorN of ( leneral llenr\ Lee of 
\'ir_i;inia. 
Obiit, March J5. iSiS 
.\etat, 63." 

This stone was erected a good many years after his burial 
by his son, (leneral Robert IC. Lee. or uniler his directit)n by 
Mr. 1'. M. Nightingale, a grandson of (leneral Nathaniel 
(Ireen, who was present at the burial of tleneral Lee. The 
grave must have been accurately marked at the time of burial, 
since the stones erected later were found to be in identically 
the proper place, the head and foot stones corresponding 
exactly with the head and feet of the remains. At the request 
of Mrs. Carnegie the original stones were ])ermitte<l to remain, 
as she desired to have them re-erected at the same spot. b"or 
the sake of historical accuracy, it was understood that she 
woubl ha\ e car\ cd on the luadstone a statement that the re- 
mains of (leneral Lee had l)een removd to the State of N'irginia 
in May, 19 13. and presumably this has been done. 

A more l)eautiful spot cannot be imagined than this old 
graveyard at "Dungeness". The remains of the great sol- 
dier and statesman lay amid the perfume of the oleander and 
the jessamine in the deep shade of the magnolias, the myrtles 
and the olives, while the long gray moss from the live oaks 
waved in majestic grace with every breeze, and the sobbing 
of the sea sang an eternal requiem over his grave. Nothing 



save the patriotic devotion of a loyal people could justify the 
intrusion upon so peaceful a resting place. With profound 
feeling and respect by all, the grave w^as opened in the pres- 
ence of the committee, and the remains, found in a most 
remarkable state of preservation, were removed, placed in a 




General Robert Edward Lee 



new casket, draped in a United States flag, and conveyed to 
the yacht, and thence back to Fernandina. 

The remains reached Lynchburg, Virginia, on Memorial 
Day, May 30th, and were there met by representatives of the 
Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, the Colonial 
Dames, and other patriotic societies, and a guard of honor 



remained in attendance throug-hout the day. At an appointed 
hour during- the day the people of Lynchburg gathered spon- 
taneously to pay [hv'w respects, and a brief but appropriate 
address was made by ihe Re\ erend J()se])h Dunn, rector of 
the Episcopal Church of ],ynchburg, after which the casket 
was covered wilh beautiful llowers. 

On the evening of the 30th the remains reached Lexington. 
They were met by a large concourse of people, the faculty and 
student body of Washington and Lee L'^niversity, and with the 
entire corps of cadets of the Mrginia Military Institute acting 
as a special guard, they were borne to the Lee Chapel, where 
all that is mortal of General Henry Lee was there placed in 
the mausoleum in the crypt by the side of his illustrious son, 
General Robert E. Lee. On the marble slab that encloses the 
crypt is the following: 

"GEN. HENRY LEE 

(Light-Horse Harry) 
1756-1818 
Buried at Cumberland Island, Georgia 
Removed to Lexington, Virginia, 191 3." 

Though removed from so beautiful a spot, and from a State 
no less patriotic than Virginia, it is appropriate and proper 
that the remains of General Henry Lee should rest in hi? 
native State, and beside those of his distinguished son. 
It is especially appropriate that they should rest at \\"ashing- 
ton and Lee L^niversity, in the Chapel designed by that son, 
and which must ever be a shrine at which truth, virtue, liberty 
and patriotism will be worshiped. 

HUGH A. WHITE, of Rockbridge county. 

Chairman : 

JNO. O. DANIEL, of Loudoun county. 

On tlie Part of the House; 

JOHN M. HART, of Roanoke city, 

On the Part of the Senate. 



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